Retired British Airways jet transformed into $1,300 per hour 'party plane'

There are many different places a retired plane can end up in its after life. Some return to the sky to fly for other airlines, others are recycled for parts (around 80 to 85% of an aircraft can be recycled) while a vast number are relocated to aircraft boneyards. One particular decommissioned British Airways jet is gearing up for a very action-packed future after being reborn as a unique events space for hire based at a UK airport. Suzannah Harvey, CE of the privately owned Cotswold Airport near Kemble in England, bought the Negus 747 for GBP1 (around $1.30) back in October 2020 and has spent 14 months or so converting it into a trendy "party plane," with rates starting at about $1,300 an hour. A vast number of 747s have been decommissioned as airlines bring forward retirement dates for older aircraft due to the pandemic, with KLM, Air France, Delta, United and British Airways all retiring their 747 fleets in the past two years. Harvey came up with the idea for the events facility as various retired BA 747s arrived at storage and parts company Air Salvage International, which happens to be located at Cotswold Airport, and promptly went to the UK flag carrier with her proposal. However, the process was far from simple. In fact, the sale involved weeks of negotiations during which BA agreed that the economy section of the plane could be removed and Harvey vowed to ensure that the aircraft would be well looked after. "It took six weeks to do the negotiations for the contract," Harvey said. "We have a duty of care to maintain her until it is uneconomically viable with any deterioration. But hopefully, she'll be with us for many years and generations to come."<br/>